Replacement Insert Install Completely from Inside

joshg3p0

I'm thinking of replacing some 1970's double hung with replacement inserts. The house has triple track storms installed and wood siding. The windows have metal tracks with springs inside. Most instructions I've seen for replacements seem pretty straightforward. My biggest concern, however, is that many of the windows I want to replace are on the 3rd story of the house. Even if I owned a ladder tall enough I wouldn't want to mess around out there at that height.

Would I be able to take the sashes of the storms out and unscrew the frame from the inside of the house with little issue?

Can I do everything from the inside of the house, or do I need to be on the outside to caulk, etc? Thanks!

joecaption

Post a picture of the windows.

Most use a bead of caulking around the outside stop that seals the window from the inside.

Simple enought to just snap out the sashes so you can work from the inside instead of being on a ladder in most cases.

joshg3p0

Here are some photos of the windows. How difficult will this be?

Attached Thumbnails

       

Windows on Wash

Yes.

Pull the interior stops and set from inside out.

Doable and easy to accomplish.

__________________

joecaption

Once you figure out the first one the next one should take about 15 min.

Take a razer knife and cut the paint line around the trim holding in the first sash. Then tap in a puddy knife to open up the gap at the bottom of the trim(do not try and use a cheap plastic handle one) once it's opened up just use a flat bar. If you lift the bar straigt up or down you will not be putting any pressure on the jamb where it's going to show, the marks will be behind the trim.
Once it's off use a pair of channel locks to pry the nails out from the back side of the moulding, do not try to pound them out.

With those metal tracks I like to lift both sashes, use a flat bar to pop the track away from the jambs, then lower the sashes and do the same thing to the top. Should be able to just pull the whole thing out now.

joshg3p0

Ok, so I chose 1 window to experiment with. I think you're right. The first one will take a few hours to understand everything, and the rest will take 30 minutes.

So tonight I took off the interior stop (using basically your method) to get an accurate measurement jamb to jamb in 3 places, and top to bottom, also checked for square.

Now the question is.... What window would you recommend. There is a window store near me (windowrama) that carries silverline(Anderson), superseal, simonton, unique, united, and great lakes. Whats the best I could get for maybe $150-$300 per window? Also is replacement a better option than say installing new jamb liners? I thought about rehabing the sashes and liners and storms, but I'd need to pull all the windows out anyway seems like a huge pain.

joecaption

Faster, easyer, and works better to do a replacement window.

I've never had any issues with Simonton windows.

joecaption

You can measure an opening without having to remove the window.
You may have to wait up to 2, weeks for the windows to be delivered so do not remove them until there delivered and you have double checked the sizes.
Replacements need to be order slightly smaller then the opening or you'll never get them in.

joshg3p0

Thanks. This window is in an unoccupied room, so I thought I'd just dissect to get comfortable. The window is closed now and the top stop is still on. I measured 35 7/8 x 37 3/4 H x 3 1/4 D. So how much smaller would I order?

joecaption

http://www.pjsmithdistributors.com/Howtomeasure.html

This to make sure your measuring in the right spots.
If there ordered wrong and you gave them the sizes and there wrong, there trash.

Any real window supply just needs the exact sizes, they should know enough to subtract what's needed to make them fit.

joshg3p0

Thanks for that link. I measured in that manner. So, I'll keep you posted.

I have a few windows that are double mulled. Would I get two replacements for them and install the same way? Or one large unit? Is the dividing lumber typically a 2x4?

joecaption

Two differat units, installed the exact same ways as the other ones.

joshg3p0

Thanks! I'm going I check out the simonton 5500 and 9800 this weekend; and also see what else is
Recommended. I'll let you know how it goes.

joshg3p0

So I got some prices from my local building supply for the Simonton 9800 and 5500. I also went to a window store nearby that has the 5500 on display... they seem pretty decent. Can anyone comment on the real lifespan of these things? I couldn't help but check out a few of the "Wood" replacement windows. The salesman mentioned that vinyl windows have a lifespan of 15 years max and wood could last 60+ years. How long would a Simonton vinyl hold up compared to an Anderson or Marvin wood insert?